U.S. Pat. No. 7,866,477 discloses an oral care kit comprising a substantially rectangular box having oral care packs positioned therein. The oral care packs contain oral care devices useful for administering oral care treatment during a 24 hour oral care treatment cycle. The packs are useful for treating intubated patients in the hospital intensive care unit (ICU).
As shown in FIG. 1, the rectangular box comprises a plurality of partitions, each of which stores a different oral care pack. Not all of the packs stored in the partitions are identical. In one example, the number of toothbrush packs, catheter packs, suction swab packs with hydrogen peroxide, and suction swab packs with alcohol free mouthwash is 2:2:4:6, respectively.
The fact that each compartment may store a different type of oral care pack allows the user (e.g. a nurse in an ICU) to keep track of the different types of oral-care treatments, and in particular to apply the correct number of treatments in the correct ratio.
One feature of the oral care kit of U.S. Pat. No. 7,866,477 is the need to employ the internally portioned box. For example, the cost of packaging increases to the overall cost of the oral care. In addition, each box occupies space within the ICU, a location where space is at a premium. However, as noted above, the internally portioned box is indeed useful, as it allows a caregiver (e.g. ICU nurse) to easily track the number of each type of oral-care treatment previously applied to a patient, in order to apply the different types of oral-care treatments in the appropriate and pre-determined order. There is an ongoing need for systems and methods which facilitate oral care in the ICU at a reduced cost and/or in a manner that reduces the amount of space required in the ICU.
The following issued patents and patent publications provide potentially relevant background material, and are all incorporated by reference in their entirety: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,186,782, 6,766,548, 6,920,659, 8,453,285 and 7,866,477. Any feature or combination of features disclosed in any of the aforementioned prior art documents may be combined with any feature disclosed herein.